Improvement in hydrants



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. WHITE 8v J. C. IKUPFERLE.

Hydant.

No. 202,316. Patented April 9,1878.

FTEs-r:

INVENTORS:

Mule- M Mix/@M 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. WHITE 8v J.. C. KUPFERLE.

Hydrant.

Patented April 9, 1878.

ATTEST: l INVENTORS: mit f. (Pf/HA mid/L UNITED STATES PATENTOEFIGE.

PETER WHITE AND JOHN C. KUPFERLE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRANTS.

Specioation forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,316, dated April 9, 1878 application iled March 2l, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: r

Be it known that we, PETER WHITE and J oHN G. KUPEERLE, residents of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Hydrants, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, in which- Figurel is an elevation of the hydrant, showing the hydrant-box and the plates for holding the hydrant in the box in section; Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken on the line m x of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical section taken through the valve-chamber, showing the valve mechanism partly in section, and the various parts being as when `the valve is closed 5 and Fig. 4t, a view similar to that of Fig. 3, the valve mechanism being in elevation and the valve being opened.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The present construction has several advantages. It is readily made, operated, and repaired. There is no leakage, neither when the hydrant is running nor when the valve is closed. The water does not remain in the discharge-pipe when the valve is closed, preventing trouble from frost. The valve mechanism can be removed from the valve-chamber and replaced therein without having to remove the latter from its position. But an especial advantage is that the concussion in the supplypipe incident to the sudden closing` ofthe valve ofthe ordinary hydrant is entirely obviated.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the hydrant-boX; B, the valve-chamber; C, the inlet thereto; D, the outlet; E, the main valve; F, the valveseat; G, the valve-stem; G1, the valve rod; G2, a thimble that connects the stem and rod; and G3, the handle or lever for lifting the rod.

B' represents the cap of the chamber B. It is made to screw onto the chamber, and it is furnished with two lugs, b b, that project upward from the cap, and so as to engage, as hereinafter described, with the lugs g g, that project laterally from the thimble G2.

H H represent two cup shaped leathern washers, interposed between the cap B' and the top of the chamber B.

I represents a cup-shaped metallic washer,

arranged between the washer H and a shoulder, b2, in the chamber B.

J represents a disk, that is fastened to the valve-stem in the position shown. Its diameter is eq ual to that of the valve-chamber. rectly beneath it is arranged a leathern washer, J A thimble, K, comes next on the valvestein, pressing at its upper end against the washer J, and at its lower end against the main valve E. Thus made, the valve-chamber above the main valve is, by means of the disk J and washer J', subdivided into two spaces. The valve E is cup-shaped, as shown, and beneath it, on the stem, is' arranged a metallic disk, El, and beneath the latter is a leathern washer, E2.

All the above-named parts, from the disk J downward, are upheld in place, and ultimately against the disk J as a bearing, by means of a nut, L, that is screwed onto the stem atl and against the washer El. The valve-stem is extended below the'nut L sufciently to pass down and work in an extension, b1, of the valve-chamber, and at its lower end the stem is provided with a cup-shaped valve, M, that is held in place on the stem by means ot a nut, M. There is a waste-hole, b5, in the extension b1, just above the position ofthe valve M when the valve-stem is down and the valve E is closed.

The valve-chamber is held in place in the hydrant-box by means of a foot-plate., N, that receives the extension bl, and a top plate, O, that is held in the top of the hydrant-box, serves to guide the valve-rod in its movement. A nut, P, that is screwed onto the extension b1, serves to fasten the valve-chamber to the plate N. The latter is provided with lugs n n, that interlock in recesses b3 b3, that are in a ange, b4, that the valve-chamber is furnished with, and against which the plate N comes. This prevents the chamber from being turned around. The plate N is cut away at nl 715,17"

allow such sediment as collects above the plate to pass beneath it.

Q represents a guide-plate that serves to direct the valve mechanism into the valvechamber whenever the former isbeingreplaced in the latter. The lower end ofthe depression g of the plate passes below the lugs b b. The

. piece, and all the other parts immediately connected with the stem can be slippled thereon in the order named, and at once fastened in place.

It will be noticed that the inlet to the valvechamber is above the main valve-seat. The pressure of the water in the supply-pipe is therefore upon the upper side of the valve E when the latter is closed. This operates to spread the valve and tighten it. The washer Ez co-operates with the valve E in preventing the leakage of water from the supply-pipe. When the valve Eis closed the valve M is below the waste-opening b5, allowing the water to drain from the discharge-pipe. As soon as the valve-stein is lifted to open the main valve the valve M is raised sufciently to close the waste-opening b5, and thus prevent any wastage of water from the supply-pipe. As soon as the required amount of water has been drawn, and the lever Gg'is released, the pressure of the water operates to close the valve E.

Instead, however, of closing sharply down, a gradual closing of the valve is effected. This .isaccomplished as follows: In the inner side of the wall of the valve-chamber, and extending from a point opposite the valve E (when the latter is opened) upward to the top ofthe chamber, is a small groote-11G. As the valve has opened the space between the valve and the washer J has continued lled with water, and there is as much pressure upward against the washer J as there is downward against the valve E. Hence, when the lever Gr3 is released, there would be no downward movement of the valve but for the groove bs. 'This groove provides a channel, through which the water can slowly pass from beneath the wash er J to above the disk J, and thus enable the valve to gradually close, and this gradual closing of the valve serves to prevent any sudden reaction or concussion in the water in the supply-pipe, which, in the -ordinary hydrant, by the :sudden closing of the valve, is the frequent ycause of breakage :i-n the supplypipe. As the valve E is lifted the water that is above the disk J is forced through the groove b' to beneath the washer J', and thence through an opening, c, into the supply-pipe.

The valve mechanism is readily removed from the valve-chamber by rotating the valverod backward and bringing the lugs g g of the thimble G2 against the lugs b b on the cap B', causing the latter to be unscrewed, and leaving the valve-stem and the parts thereto attached free to be lifted out of the valve-chamber.

We claim- 1. The chamber B, having the groove b, in combination with the stem G, valve E, and disk J, substantially as described.

2. The chamber B, having the groove 116, opening c, and inlet C, in combination with the stem G. valve E, and disk J, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the chamber B, cap B',stem G, washers H H', and washerl I, substantially as described. Y

4. The combination of the chamber B, inlet C, seat F, stem Gr, valve E, disk f', `and washer E2, substantially as described.

-5. The combination of the stem G, disk J, washer J thimble K, valve E, disk E, washer E2, and nut L, substantially as described.

6. The chamber B, having the inlet C and outlet D, arranged as shown, the extension b1, waste-openin g b5, stein G, valve E, seat F, and valve M, combined and operating substantially as described.

7. The combination of the hydrant-box A, valve-chamber B, and the foot-plate N, having the openings nl n, as and for the purpose described.

8. The hydrant-box A, having the grooves 11.2 and q', in combination with the plates N and Q and the valve-chamber B, substantially asdescribed.

9. The valve-chamber B, having the extension b, provided with the waste-opening b5, in combination with the stem Gr and valve M, substantially as described.

PETER WHITE.

JOHN C. KUPFERLE.

Witnesses:

Guns. D. MooDY, PAUL BAKEWELL. 

